Bates College founded by abolitionists

Founding Context. Oren Burbank Cheney, an abolitionist statesman, founded the college in 1855. He had previously worked on racial and gender equality, religious freedom, and temperance issues while attending and leading the Freewill Baptist Parsonsfield Seminary. In 1836, he enrolled at Dartmouth College, drawn by the school's significant support of the abolitionist cause against slavery.

Industrialist Contributions. Local industrialist Benjamin Bates provided substantial financial backing to the new college. He contributed $100,000 in personal donations, with overall contributions valued at $250,000. This funding was critical for the institution's establishment and growth, eventually leading to the college being renamed in his honor in 1863.

Educational Mission. The Maine State Seminary was chartered in 1855 with a liberal arts and theological curriculum. It became the first coeducational college in New England. In 1863, the school was renamed Bates College and chartered to offer a broader liberal arts curriculum beyond its original theological focus.